A Chance Encounter
by 12anonymous33
Summary: Steve, a Minecraftian with a special gift, comes face-to-face with the legendary Commander Sky and his Army. The poor boy soon finds himself in the middle of the Army's inner and outer conflicts. (Contains Team Crafted and the Sky Army.)
1. Chapter 1

**CHAPTER 1**

The bright sun was still high up in the sky as I left my home and trekked into the green forest. As I walked I double-checked myself to make sure that I hadn't left anything important behind. Sword? Check. Pickaxe? Check. Armor? Check. Food? Check.

Ender Pearl amulet? Check.

I paused for a moment, reaching under my chest plate to pull out my most cherished possession. The Pearl glowed a soft green from underneath its diamond casing. On either side of the round object, two gold connectors kept it attached to the emerald chain around my neck.

I reflected as I observed my amulet, a parting gift from my father before I had left my hometown. He had told me that it was an ancient relic, passed down by our family for generations. Apparently, the amulet was created by an ancestor with unbelievable magical power, who had been experimenting with objects of dark magic to see if their power could be harnessed without having to suffer their negative consequences.

It's a well known fact that you can teleport with the use of an Ender Pearl, just like the strange Endermen themselves. The trouble was, it could only be used once and seriously injure you. How exactly my Ender Pearl could be used indefinitely with little risk of harm is unknown. Whatever techniques my ancestor used on the Pearl have been lost in time. All I knew was that it involved complicated enchantments, rare minerals, and special potions.

I tucked my amulet away before taking a breath of cool, spring air and setting off down the path again. I wasn't really in a hurry, so I didn't plan on teleporting to my destination. I was content walking amongst nature. I could only warp across relatively short distances anyway.

I came across a stone bridge I had built over a particularly wide river. As I crossed, I started noticing dark shapes moving about underwater. I leaned over my bridge slightly, squinting my purple eyes and trying to see what was going on down there.

One of the shapes came close to the surface, and I saw that it was just a normal squid. But I was surprised to see how many were swimming around in the water. I rarely see fish here, let alone squids.

I only shrugged, however, and kept on going towards the hills ahead of me. There, amongst the sheer cliffs and wild animals, was my destination. For it was among these hills that my friends and I had discovered an impressive system of caverns some time ago. It had minerals, fissures, lava, and even an old stronghold. I doubted that I had even explored a majority of the caves in there.

A small stone building marked one of the main entrances to the caverns. It was cleverly disguised into the side of the hill. Without hesitation, I used my amulet's power and warped inside.

The building housed a minecart system leading into the cave, which my friends had helped me build in order to more easily reach the deepest parts of the cavern. Grabbing a minecart from a nearby chest, I began my speedy and hazardous journey underground.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

I returned to the surface with my inventory full of diamonds and gold. I had found a hidden, lava-filled chamber a few days prior, and I had finally been able to explore it today. It was literally a treasure trove of rare minerals. Satisfied, I warped back outside in order to make my way back home.

Suddenly, I jumped and tumbled to the grassy ground as a fiery explosion shook the area. Even though I was frightened, I quickly composed myself and got up. I saw smoke rising up into the afternoon sky in the direction of the river where I had built my bridge. I could also hear what sounded like battle cries and yells coming from there.

I began to worry as I teleported higher up the nearest hill to get a better look at the situation. What I witnessed shocked me, to say the least.

Where my bridge over the river used to be there was now a large crater. I could make out several Minecraftians going crazy in the river water, many decked out in gold armor and all massacring the squids.

I groaned and pulled at my hair. "You've got to be freaking kidding me!" I moaned to myself before teleporting a bit closer to the group. As I watched, I caught a glimpse of a blue cape one of them was wearing. On the back was a golden pickaxe.

My eyes widened. _No way! It can't be..._ I thought to myself. That crest I had just spotted on the cape was that of the Sky Army, one of the most powerful and revered mercenary groups in all the land. I guessed that would explain why they were currently destroying the squids in my river.

I bit my bottom lip, not knowing what to do next. Should I confront them, or find another way back home? As I was carrying precious cargo right then, the latter option seemed the most attractive.

I wish I had thought of doing that sooner, because as I turned around to teleport away, I came face to face with something brown, furry, and with beady black eyes.

I cried out in fear and fell backwards off the ledge I was on. I tumbled down the rest of the hill and landed painfully on my back on the river's sandy shore. Thankfully, my armor protected me from most of the trauma. I lay there for a while, my vision blurred and spotty as I strained to hear the surprised voice coming from around me.

"Jerome! Who is that?"

"I thought he was spying on us!"

"Could he be working with the squids?"

"Look, he's wearing a weird amulet! Just like me!"

I groaned slightly as my senses finally cleared. My eyes blinked for a bit before opening up wide in shock. A man was crouched over me, sunglasses covering his eyes. Around his neck was a purple gem on a gold chain. He was holding my Ender Pearl in his palm.

I couldn't believe it. It was Commander Sky, founder and leader of the Sky Army himself.

"What have we got here? I've never seen anything like it before, guys." He commented to his friends.

As others began gathering around me, I panicked. What if they tried to take my precious amulet? What if they tried to take its power for themselves? As quickly as I could, I yanked my Pearl out of Sky's grasp and teleported away from the group of recruits. I scrambled backwards to try and get away, but my back ended up hitting a wall of dirt.

I didn't know why, but I was paralyzed by the shocked stares of the Sky Army members. Maybe it was because I didn't really interact with strangers that much, but I felt vulnerable. I clutched my amulet in one hand and looked about frantically. There were diamonds and blocks of gold ore scattered around me, which I had probably dropped when I fell.

"H-how did he do that?"

"Its an Enderman in disguise!"

"Monster! Let's get him!"

I realized too late that the golden clad recruits were talking about me when some of them shot arrows at me. I yelled as some of them struck my armor and teleported again, this time behind a nearby tree.

"What the Nether? Hold your fire, damn it! We don't know what we're dealing with!" I heard Sky bark at his troops.

"Sky! Where did he go?" I heard another male voice call.

"Should we really be getting involved in this?" Said another nervous voice.

"Ty, chill, would you? I want to see if this guy is a friend...or with the squids." I heard the Commander reply darkly. "Let's see if we can track him down."

I took a shaky breath and looked around my hiding spot. I was seriously outnumbered and trees were scarce on this side of the river, so just teleporting away would be dangerous. I decided to take a more diplomatic approach to this situation.

Gathering up my remaining courage, I stepped back out into the open, facing the surprised Sky and his followers.

"There won't be any need for that," I began as nonchalantly as I could. "The name's Steve, by the way."


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER 3**

Understandably, many of the Sky Army recruits tensed up and readied their weapons as I stepped forward. I kept my hands open to show that I was currently unarmed. Suddenly, several archers jumped out from behind me, effectively surrounding me. I began trembling nervously. These guys, no matter how goofy they might have seemed, didn't mess around.

Commander Sky pushed his way through his soldiers and entered the circle with me. I could feel his hard gaze, even through his dark shades. I gulped and waited for him to do something rather than leer at me.

Finally, he smirked. "Steve, huh? Well, that's an interesting little...trinket you've got around your neck there."

I glanced downward and realized that my Pearl amulet was still exposed and hanging in front of my chest plate. "It's just a family heirloom," I replied innocently.

"That's an Ender Pearl," a boy wearing headphones remarked, "But how can you use it like that? Without getting hurt?"

"Why should I tell you? You probably just want to take it, don't you?" I snapped back a little too harshly. Some of the archers immediately readied their arrows.

"Hey! You're not in a position to talk back like that!" The furry creature who had scared me before growled. Seriously, what kind of demented animal was he?

Luckily, Sky raised his hand, signaling to his troops. They relaxed, but obviously not too much.

"Listen kid, I don't want this to get out of hand," Sky continued, "but we need to know if you're a threat to society or not. Are you, or are you not, working with the squids?"

I raised an eyebrow. A threat to society? That was new, but why would they think I was in cahoots with underwater critters?

"I'm not working with squids, or whatever." I replied, annoyed, "and honestly, I don't appreciate being judged because I have some special ability."

I heard murmurs coming from the recruits. Maybe they were finally considering the prospect of letting me go home. Sky's facial expression, however, remained unchanged. He turned around and faced two of his lackeys; the boy with the headphones and the furry creature. I could hear them talking, and by the way they glanced at me suspiciously, I could tell this situation wasn't going to resolve itself in my favor.

I began feeling nervous again, as I became conscious of the Sky Army recruits watching me like predators. This feeling soon got the better of me and I spoke up again, desperate to escape.

"L-listen, I have diamonds, and other ores. There's even a huge cavern system hidden in the hills over there. I could show you if you let me go," I motioned feebly towards the hills. "Look, I-i have gold on me! Lots of it! I know its pretty useless but I'm sure you guys can find some use for it," I continued, throwing some gold ore blocks out in front of me.

Suddenly, everything went dead silent. The recruits around me had fear in their eyes, and they began to cower slightly. Even Sky had froze where he stood. While I couldn't see his face, I saw that he was trembling in what looked like rage. Even his two friends he was talking to were backing slightly away from him.

"Take it back." I heard Sky murmur.

"What?" I gasped.

"TAKE IT BACK!" he roared, rounding on me again. I jumped back. His face was contorted in hate, and his fists were clenched. What the hell was his problem now?! I didn't have to wait long to learn what, however.

"THAT is butter!" Commander Sky snarled, pointing at the gold ore blocks I had dropped. "BUTTER is not USELESS!"

I was terrified now. Everyone was looking at me like I had uttered some forbidden taboo. How was I supposed to now this guy was so crazy about gold? There was no way this was the same Commander Sky I've heard legends about for his courage and strength. This man was insane!

"Sky, please!" The boy wearing headphones cried, "You know that some people can't grasp the importance of go-butter!"

The furry one only cowered and whimpered something unintelligible. The Commander, however, didn't appear to have listened to his friends.

"I knew there was something suspicious about you," Sky seethed. He motioned two swordsmen beside him to ready their weapons. "But your last outburst just blew any chance of you going home today, freak!"

"H-hey! I'm sorry, OK?!" I cried weakly. By then I was desperately considering fighting my way out of this mess and making a run for it.

"Arrest him," the commander stated simply.

"Sky, no!" One of his friends cried as two of the recruits charged towards me, ready to strike with their gold swords.

In that instant, I was very glad I had decided to craft a diamond sword before leaving the caves. As the two soldiers reached me, I drew my sword and teleported behind them. I wasn't aiming to kill, so I knocked one of them away with a blow from my hilt. The other spun around and began attacking me with his blade. I shakily blocked each of his blows, and watched as his gold weapon got more and more damaged.

_What were these people thinking, using such a soft metal for combat?_ I thought exasperatedly as I finally knocked the recruit's sword out of his hands. The boy jumped away in retreat as a few more swordsmen came to take his place. I had to get out of there fast, or I was screwed!

As the recruits engaged me in combat, I kept teleporting around, dodging and blocking sword strikes when necessary. I soon realized what their tactic was, however. They were only trying to wear me down to make me easier to capture.

Suddenly, I heard a loud growl as two large and hairy arms encircled and trapped me from behind. It must have been that really furry guy from before!

"Get your dirty paws OFF ME!" I yelled, writhing and kicking at the creature who had an iron grip around my midsection. Eventually, I was able to escape and teleported in the air just above him. I came crashing down on the animal's back, knocking the air from his lungs and sending him to the ground. I had struck so hard that a large crack had appeared on the back of his chestplate.

"EAT BUTTER!"

I wheeled around to see Sky flying through the air towards me, ready to sink his sword into my body. He must have climbed up a nearby ledge while I was occupied with his soldiers. I literally had no time to react. I closed my eyes and teleported towards the river just as I felt pain searing across my arm.

I wasn't powerful enough to teleport all the way across the wide river. I landed right in the water and I soon came up, gasping for air. I didn't help that I was being weighed down by my armor and bounty and that my arm hurt like hell.

Panicking, I warped away again and fell on my knees on the other shore. I was quite frightened, but I was still happy to have gotten away from the Sky Army. I grasped my arm in pain and saw a long cut going lengthwise down it. Blood was staining my clothes and dripping onto the ground. Even though I had escaped Commander Sky, he was still able to injure me with his sword.

"Fire! Fire! Don't let him get away!" I heard someone scream. I turned around just in time to see Sky's archers letting many arrows loose in my direction. I gasped and teleported behind a tree to escape the barrage coming from the other side of the river. I took a deep breath and teleported again, hoping to get back home as soon as possible to hide and treat my injuries.

I prayed to Notch that Sky and his followers wouldn't come after me.


	4. Chapter 4

**CHAPTER 4**

I opened the door to my wood-and-cobblestone house and slammed it shut behind me. I sank down to the ground, tossing my heavy tools and supplies on the floor around me. I breathed heavily, exhausted from my frantic trip home.

I grabbed my injured arm and hissed in pain. I looked down and examined the wound. Thankfully, it wasn't deep. I just had to clean it up and bandage it. I stumbled over to the bathroom, hoping to do just that.

I found a disinfecting potion in the bathroom, and poured some of it onto a small towel. I gasped in pain and clenched my teeth as I cleaned my wound. The bloody thing was actually quite long; it ended well past my elbow!

Since I didn't have anything to stitch myself up with, the only thing left to do then was wrap it up in survival tape. After I had wrapped my arm tightly in the material, I observed my handiwork. The bandages made it hard to bend or move my right arm, and they were already beginning to be stained with blood from the open wound. I supposed that I would be out of commission for a while after this. I'd have to travel back to the city and have a real doctor observe my arm and heal it properly.

I realized how tired I really was when I stepped out of the bathroom and went towards my bedroom. My limbs felt like jelly, and taking a nap sounded very enticing. Pulling off the rest of my armor, I fell onto my bed, careful not to aggravate my injured arm. I slept a dreamless sleep, and when I awoke groggily, the silver moon was just beginning to rise up into the dark sky, along with the stars. I lay there for a while, going over the day's exciting events in my mind. A small smile crept across my face. My family and friends would probably never believe the story I had to tell them.

I sighed, rubbing my wounded arm. At the same time, it hurt to know that someone that I had deep respect for would be so quick to judge and persecute me for my strange abilities. I brought my hand up to my neck, finding my amulet still there. Even my father didn't know the full extent of its power. I guessed that was something I had to find out for myself.

I nearly shot up fifty feet in the air when I heard the loud banging coming from outside the house. I covered up my mouth, too shocked to even breathe. I could also hear quick footsteps running around outside.

I got up and snuck over to my living room, watching the front door warily. The strong knocking came again, this time with a loud voice.

"This is the Sky Army! Please open the door, or there will be consequences!"

A feeling of dread began to grow inside of me. Why couldn't they see that I meant no harm?

"There's no answer, sir," the voice continued.

"Hmm...he's definitely in there. His scent and blood led us here."

"Is this all really necessary?"

"You saw how dangerous he was, Ty! It's our duty to deal with those who could threaten world peace."

Now, I heard knocking coming from all around the house. No doubt it was Sky Army recruits trying to find some other way in. The doors and windows wouldn't last much longer against these guys. In my terror, I realized that my only option was to leave my home as quickly as possible.

I sprang into action, dashing and teleporting around my house, packing weapons and essentials into my inventory. I hid the precious minerals I had collected before as best as I could. Painfully, I knew that I couldn't take any personal possessions, and I prayed that they would remain untouched.

Just as I was finishing up, A terrible crash sounded from the front of my house. Sky must have succeeded in breaking down the door. I didn't have much time left. I made my way all the way down to my basement, locking the door behind me.

While I had had help building my house, I had dug out this basement myself. It stored chests full of supplies, furnaces, and even a brewing stand. An unfinished enchantment table I had been working on sat in the corner, surrounded by several bookshelves. I ran to the far wall, and used my amulet to warp right through it.

I appeared in a smaller, dimly-lit chamber. A minecat sat ready on some powered rails that led into a dark tunnel past the chamber. This underground escape route would prove to be my saving grace.

I jumped in the cart, and after a moment's hesitation, pressed the button that sent me racing down the tracks. I would soon emerge away from my home, in the big and unpredictable Over world.


	5. Chapter 5

**CHAPTER 5**

I didn't think of much as I traveled in my minecart down the dark tunnel. I was only concerned with reaching my destination safely. After what seemed like hours, I emerged into another small, underground chamber. After my minecart came to a halt, I teleported directly upwards. I found myself in a small hut, made from dark jungle tree wood. I turned to a window and saw the now dark jungle, its trees huge silhouettes against the night sky.

I fell onto the nearby bed, thoroughly exhausted and depressed. I felt scared and cheated, too. I was run out of my own home by the same people who had pledged to protect the weak and innocent people of Minecraftia. Now here I was, pathetically curled up in my jungle hideout.

I nibbled on some of my food as I tried to think of a game plan. I pulled out a map and examined it by torchlight. I was currently near the edge of the jungle, and I would have to trek out of there and across a long, sandy beach to reach the closest coastal town. Perhaps there I could get help reaching the city where my family resided.

I winced as my bandaged arm began stinging again. I really hoped it wouldn't become infected. After thinking these last few thoughts, I settled down and tried to get some rest. It was difficult to do so while I was feeling so alone and violated.

I woke up early the next morning and left my hut, which was hidden amongst green vines and trees. After washing up a bit in a nearby pond, I set off through the thick, towering trees towards the beach. I usually enjoyed being in the jungle, but right now, the exotic animal noises and vegetation only increased my anxiousness and sense of solitude.

As I neared the ocean, the trees began thinning and the air became less humid. I felt more relaxed in the open spaces, so I let my guard down and felt more optimistic that I would reach Obsidian City and my family. I regretted doing so when I heard something moving through the brush towards me. I looked in the direction of the noise, drawing my sword. I cursed my bad arm as I tried to keep a defensive stance with the weapon.

Soon, a figure emerged from the jungle, but it was far from the creature or monster I had been expecting. In fact, it was a girl, dressed in plain clothes and some light leather armor.

Her appearance was...colorful, to say the least. She had peach-colored skin, and large, bright eyes, one blue and one green. Her hair was long, framing her face in pink and purple. She gasped when she caught sight of me and quickly pulled out a bow, training an arrow right at my face.

I immediately sheathed my sword and raised my hands up. "Whoa, Whoa!" I exclaimed, "It's OK! I'm friendly."

The girl stood still for a moment, but sighed in relief and lowered her weapon. "Sorry about that," she began apologetically, "I freaked out because you're covered in blood! Do you need help or something?"

I looked down at my clothes and realized that they were quite bloody from my arm wound. I would have had time to change if Sky and his army of jerks hadn't attacked my house.

"It's nothing," I responded reassuringly, "I got injured in an attack and I haven't had time to change or anything. I kind of got run out of my home. It's a long story."

The girl gasped, and I could see pity in her deep eyes. "Man, that sucks! Why don't you stick with me for a while? We could go back to my place and get you patched up."

I looked at the girl, suspicious. One of the best pieces of advice my parents gave me was to be wary of strangers when travelling alone in Minecraftia. While some may be benevolent, others may just be trying to hurt or rob you. However, after all the mayhem I had gone through the previous day, putting my trust in another friendly Minecraftian didn't seem like a bad idea.

"That sounds great," I smiled gratefully, "I just hope I won't be a burden."

The girl only laughed. "Oh, believe me, when you see where I live, you'll understand why this is no big deal."

I was really curious now. There was more to this girl than meets the eye. I guessed following her was better than wandering aimlessly on the beach.

"If you say so," I responded. I went up to her and stuck out my good hand with a friendly smile. "My name's Steve."

She chuckled as she shook my hand. "You can call me Dawn. Now, what are you waiting for? I don't want to have to see you bleed all over the ground! Let's get going!"


	6. Chapter 6

**CHAPTER 6**

"So, Steve," Dawn began after we had walked in silence for a while, "Do you know where you're headed?"

I nodded slightly. "My family lives in Obsidian City. I'm hoping to reach them there and get some help putting my life back together."

"What a coincidence!" Dawn responded with a knowing smile, "We were just about to travel there anyway to stock up on supplies!"

"'We'?" I cocked an eyebrow.

The girl only chuckled as we reached a cliff that overlooked the beach and the endless ocean. "You'll see."

Boy, did I ever.

Floating just off the shore was the biggest airship I had ever seen. The sunlight reflected off of its hull, which was built from wood, metal and gold. Protruding off either side were many wing-like structures with large propellers attached. Many more smaller airships were also flying or hovering around the main one. It truly was a mechanical and engineering marvel.

"Whoa..." I breathed as Dawn laughed at my reaction.

"Yeah, we get that a lot," she said as she began her descent towards the beach. I quickly followed her down the path, eager to see more. As I did, I tried to keep up our conversation.

"Tell me, what were you doing in the jungle all by yourself?" I asked.

"I just needed to be on solid ground for a while after being on the ship for so long," Dawn sighed, moving carefully down the rocky path. "I decided to do bit of exploring by myself, you know? I actually found an old temple in there. It was full of all kinds of loot!"

I hummed in interest. I was actually more worried about not falling off the steep ledges we were climbing down. Suddenly, my boot slipped on a loose stone, and I found myself careening off the edge. Just my freaking luck.

"STEVE!" I heard Dawn cry in horror.

Without a second thought, I used my amulet to warp back onto the solid ground beside her. I took a deep breath, trying to relax after that close call. However, I was also afraid of how Dawn would react to my special abilities. I looked up at her, and saw not fear in her eyes, but awe and wonder.

"Whoa," she breathed, "you're OK! I didn't know you could use magic."

I chuckled, relieved that she didn't think I was some freak. "Sort of. I can harness some of the Endermen's powers using this amulet." I proceeded to pull out the heirloom from underneath my shirt. I wasn't sure why I was confiding in Dawn at the moment, but, oh well.

"Cool," she replied, coming a bit closer to examine the heirloom. "Is that an Ender Pearl? Encased in diamond? How did you make it?"

I shook my head. "This amulet is an ancient family heirloom. It was created by one of my ancestors, but no one has been able to figure out how."

"We have a few sorcerers and mages among our ranks too," said Dawn as we finally reached the beach, "Well, we would have a lot more if it wasn't for my boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend?" I questioned.

"Yeah. My boyfriend, Sky, is the founder and leader of our mercenary group. He's an amazing guy, but he's wary about people with powers because of...hey! Is something the matter?" Dawn waved her hand infront of my frozen face. I couldn't reply as a feeling of dread consumed me again. I had just escaped that guy's clutches, and now I was heading straight for his group's headquarters! What the hell was I supposed to do?

"L-listen, Dawn," I stammered, backing away slightly, "I really appreciate you offering to help me, but I can't stay with the Sky Army. I have to reach my family on my own."

"What? Why? Was it something I said?" She demanded, bemused, "The next town is miles away, and your arm could get infected or something! You wouldn't be able to defend yourself, even with that special necklace."

"No, no, you don't understand," I moaned in exasperation, "It was Sky and his recruits who did this to me. They attacked me, and drove me out of my own home!"

Dawn's eyes widened after my outburst. I turned my back on her, not wanting her to see the tears that threatened to spill. It was as if all of the stress and agony had hit me again like a freight train. I felt like a helpless child who had lost everything that he held dear.

"Steve?" I heard Dawn, but was barely listening to her. "Look, Steve, you seem like a good kid, really. My Sky wouldn't do something like this to you unless it would benefit the safety of Minecraftia. Could you atleast tell me what happened?"

I stood there in silence, contemplating my options. Since Dawn was Sky's girlfriend, maybe she could make him see the error of his ways after hearing my side of the story. I sighed heavily and continued walking towards the airship that loomed ahead of us.

"Well?" said Dawn, coming up to walk beside me.

"I was out mining yesterday, and had actually hit the jackpot when I found a cave full of rare minerals," I chuckled humorlessly. "As I was making my way back home, I saw Commander Sky and his recruits killing a bunch of squids in a river. I was spotted by them, and they became suspicious of me after witnessing my powers. Then, a big misunderstanding occured and the next thing I knew, Sky wanted my head. I had to fight my way out and I ran from him and his group."

I showed Dawn my injured arm again. "I wasn't able to escape completely unscathed, though. Sky slashed my arm as I fled to my home. There, I thought I was safe, but I was dead wrong. The Sky Army was able to track me down, and they were trying to force their way into my house. I panicked, grabbed the essentials, and used an escape route to get to the jungle."

"Hmm..." Dawn mused after she had heard my tale, "a misunderstanding? What exactly got Sky to consider you a threat?"

"I don't really remember," I responded, "Something about gold and butter."

Dawn gasped after I said that. She covered her mouth with her hand, and it was obvious from her face that she was trying not to burst out laughing. "Butter? Oh...it's just...he has a pet peeve with people not referring to gold as butter. Don't ask me why...even I don't know." The girl explained.

I could only shake my head and groan, incredulous. I was just about to say something else when I noticed several Minecraftians coming towards us on the beach. I tensed up, not sure what to expect. Dawn, however, smiled and shouted a greeting.

"Hey Dawn! How'd your little expedition go?" A man in a futuristic space suit laughed, "Did you find any monsters?"

"Well, if you count Steve here, then yeah," she giggled. By then, the others who had gathered around were looking me over and trying to ask me questions. They were acting like school children, and it made me smile a little.

"Hi! Who are you?"

"Where are you from?"

"I think he's cute."

"What happened to your arm? Are you hurt?"

"Cool necklace!"

The man in the space suit came up and shook my hand. "My name's Jason, General Jason. It looks to me that you've just been through some rough times!"

I smiled, glad to meet another friendly face. "I'm Steve. Nice to meet you."

"Steve told me that he wants to reach Obsidian City " Dawn interjected, "so I thought he could just catch a ride with us."

"Only if it's alright with you guys," I said, looking around at the group. General Jason laughed, slapping me on the back and leading me to the great airship.

"It'll be no trouble at all, buddy," he responded jovially, "Let's go get you fixed up. No offense, but you're a mess!"

The chattering recruits agreed, and together, we made our way into the flying Sky Army headquarters.


End file.
